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Friday, October 30, 2015

Empower adds Bluewaters Project
to its Dubai portfolio with an investment of AED 125 million

Developed by Meraas
Holding, the project will incorporate a world-class distribution network

Dubai, UAE, 26 October 2015:
Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has won a strategic
contract with Bluewaters LLC, the subsidiary of the master developer Meraas
Holding, to provide the Bluewaters flagship project in Dubai with 25,000
refrigeration tons (RT) of district cooling services. This significant project
will be added to the portfolio of real estate developments Empower serves in
Dubai.

The Master Developer Agreement
was signed by HE Ahmad Bin Shafar, the CEO of Empower, and Mr. Abdulla Al
Habbai, Group Chairman of Meraas Holding.

The contract, valued at AED 125
million, will kick off by end of this year, while the service will commence
from the third quarter of 2016. The agreement covers residential, retail and
commercial buildings and hotels in this ambitious project.

“We are steadily expanding to new
projects and developments in Dubai,” said HE Ahmad Bin Shafar during the
signing ceremony. “We are proud to be the first choice for pioneering
developers in Dubai, which reflects the confidence of stakeholders and
customers in our services and the optimal investment strategy we adopt in our
operations.”

“We will support Bluewaters’ superior
services with upscale district cooling operations. We have proven expertise in
responding to the requirements of Dubai's leading and landmark projects, and
coping with
rapid expansion in the emirate. We always monitor emerging real estate
facilities, to meet new and challenging requirements. We value the confidence
Meraas Holding has in our services, and assure that we will deliver on schedule
and along the highest international standards,” added Bin Shafar.

Facing Jumeirah Beach Residence,
the estimated cost of Bluewaters Island is AED 6 billion (USD 1.6 billion). The
project will feature the world’s largest Ferris Wheel that started to be built
last June, as well as residential, retail, hospitality, teleferique and
entertainment areas.

“The Bluewaters’ district cooling
infrastructure to be developed by Empower will follow environmentally friendly
standards, to provide the best energy efficiency and water consumption levels.
At a later stage, we plan to link it to our advanced measurement system. Selecting
district cooling over traditional cooling methods is a long-term investment
that saves the consumer maintenance costs and ensures service availability
around the clock,” said Bin Shafar.

“Setting up a solid district
cooling infrastructure is essential, especially with increasing client base
from residential, and commercial projects as well as hotels,” concluded Bin
Shafar.

Alstom
has been selected by the Consortium of Harbin Electricity International and
ACWA Power ( who have been announced as the Preferred Bidder)as the lead EPC contractor, in consortium
with Harbin Electricity International to build in Dubai the first
ultra-supercritical (USC) coal power plant in the Middle East. Subject to the
financing closure of the project by the development consortium composed of ACWA
Power and Harbin Electric International, the plant will start commercial
operation by March 2021 with a net output of 1.200 MW, representing a 12.5%
boost of the Dubai current grid capacity.

The
plant will be fitted with Alstom’s market-leading ultra-supercritical
technology (boiler and steam turbine generator), and will have full dual fuel capability,
able to fire sub-bituminous coal as well as natural gas as back-up fuel. It
will also include advanced environmental control systems such as
electrostatic precipitators (ESP) and seawater flue gas desulphurisation (SWFGD)
systems. These will enable to achieve NOx, SOx and particulate emission levels
that are twice below the European guidelines, making it one of the cleanest
coal-fired power plants available. Additionally, the plant will be CO2-capture
ready and shall comply with the most stringent grid code requirements from
Dubai.

“We are delighted to have been selected
as part of the EPC Consortium for this major project which demonstrates the strength of the company’s
technical capabilities and capacity to offer high plant efficiency at low flue
gas emissions.” said Andreas
Lusch, Senior Vice-President of Alstom’s Steam Business. ”Alstom’s
competencies in Engineering Procurement and Construction as well as the project
team’s expertise will ensure the project is managed in an exemplary manner. We
are eager to continue supporting Dubai to grow and diversify its power
generation infrastructure.”

Alstom’s ultra-supercritical technology enables
the power plant to run at a higher steam temperature and pressure than regular
coal-fired plants in order to improve the plant efficiency and to decrease stack-emissions,
particularly CO2 per unit of fuel burned. The power plant will produce
sufficient electricity to power nearly 250’000 households in Dubai.

Alstom’s steam turbine technology is already generating power, including
steam extraction for desalination, at DEWA’s Jebel Ali power station. DEWA is
also making use of Alstom technology for energy management systems, including
high-voltage substations and the first smart grid center in the Middle East. In
addition, Alstom has already been supporting for the past 35 years the
protection of the environment in Dubai with its gas & fume treatment
technologies for dust removal and capture of acid gases, as implemented into
the aluminium smelter of the Emirate.

About Alstom

Alstom is a
global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail
infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally
friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity
automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions
and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro,
nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power
transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 88,000 people in
around 100 countries.

Asteco, one of the region’s leading real
estate consultancy and property management firms, has been appointed as the
exclusive sales agent for the Stella Maris Tower in the popular Dubai Marina
district.

Under development by Abu Dhabi based
developer Bloom Properties, the luxury 52-storey residential tower will feature
313, one, two and three-bedroom apartments plus a select number of four-bed
duplexes, townhouses and penthouses, with a scheduled completion date of end 2018.

The tower is located
at the southern end of Dubai Marina with views of the upcoming leisure
destination known as Bluewaters Island, which will
be home to the world’s largest ferris wheel, the 201-metre high Dubai Eye.

“With groundbreaking
projects in frontier markets such as Iraq and Algeria, the Dubai Marina project
will put Bloom Properties firmly on the Dubai real estate map, with a
community-centric development that epitomises the marina lifestyle,” said Sean
McCauley, Director – Agency, Asteco Property Management.

“Units at the Stella Maris Tower are
available on a three-year payment plan, which, combined with the highly
desirable location, underscores an attractive pricing structure for investors
to add to their current property portfolio or as a more manageable step onto
the Dubai real estate ladder” he added.

“We
identified Asteco as a trusted partner and market leader. The Stella Maris
Tower is a landmark development for Bloom Properties, and an integral addition
to our expanding global portfolio,” said Sameh
Muhtadi, CEO Bloom Properties.

Prices for the apartments start from AED 1.2
million for a one-bedroom unit, AED 2.1 Million for two bedrooms and AED 3.8
million for a three-bedroom home, which range in size respectively from 700 to 2400
square feet.

The 12 four-bedroom duplexes start at AED 5.1
Million and offer expansive living and entertainment areas along with views of
Bluewaters Island, Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai Marina. A limited number of six townhouses
starting at AED 4.8 million of 3130 square feet and two penthouse units.

Bloom Holding, a subsidiary of National
Holding, is dedicated to developing sustainable and integrated communities. The
Group is driven by its vision to go beyond the buyer and investors’
expectations through superior design and partnerships with best in class
providers in education, hospitality, health care and property services, to meet
the aspirations of new urban communities in their demand for a better lifestyle
and quality of life. Bloom Holding has an established and growing portfolio of
projects within the UAE, the MENA region, Europe and the United States

Asteco, a major regional
and international real estate services firm and the largest property services
company in the United Arab Emirates, was founded in Dubai in 1985.Asteco offers independent market analysis,
design development consultancy and valuation services, sales and leasing
services, as well as asset and property management services.

Dubai
Science Park will represent Dubai’s dedicated destination and platform
for members of the Life Sciences, New Energy and Environment
communities.

Dubai, UAE: As part of TECOM Group’s commitment to driving
innovation in Science, the company has announced that “Dubai
Biotechnology & Research Park” (DuBiotech) and the “Energy and
Environment Park (EnPark)” will operate under a joint umbrella to be
known as “Dubai Science Park” (DSP). This development is a
reflection of TECOM Group’s overall strategy to operate and develop
innovative communities, aimed at enabling business success.

The newly formed Life Science, New Energy and Environment business community,
Dubai Science Park (DSP) is the realisation of a continued
commitment to respond to the evolving needs of the industry, allowing
for increased collaboration and innovation.

Dubai Science Park will continue to support both SMEs and global firms
looking for a regional base for their Middle East operations, by
facilitating a bespoke yet vibrant community. It will create a holistic
environment for organisations across the life sciences
and energy industries, by continuing to offer flexible, bespoke
products and services for every facet of the science sector.

The new identity, Dubai Science Park, is a step towards the ambition to
deliver Dubai’s innovation strategy and diversify the economy through
the development of the life science, energy and environment sectors.

DuBiotech was established in 2005 to support the Government of Dubai’s
vision to transform the Emirate into a knowledge-based economy and
develop the region’s life science sector, and its talent pool. Since its
launch, DuBiotech has grown into a thriving community
of over 230 business partners including global industry players Pfizer,
Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Maquet, Firmenich and IFF. Its sister
park, EnPark, which was founded in 2007, has been widely recognised for
its work in the field of sustainability and
the development of environmental products and initiatives winning a
number of high profile awards such as the “UAE Green Brand” in 2012. As a
founding member of the Dubai Green Energy Partnership, EnPark has
remained at the forefront of development in green
energy, conservation and R&D.

The new brand has brought two promising markets together, life sciences
and new energy & environment. Over the past 50 years, science
innovation has contributed to the world through breakthroughs such as
vaccines, telemedicine, and robotic surgery. For emerging
markets looking to capture a segment of the life sciences market,
medical technology and health informatics look to provide a promising
avenue. In addition to this, the region is increasingly focused on
alternative energy solutions. According to the Middle
East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), in 2014, a record number of
solar projects were awarded in the Middle East, a four-fold increase
over the previous seven years combined.
DSP will provide the perfect platform to foster greater
collaboration, as well as helping build longer, richer relationships
within the Science sectors.

Marwan Abdulaziz, Executive Director, Dubai Science Park said:

“DuBiotech and EnPark have been successful business communities for many
years. However, as they have evolved, we have seen the opportunity to
further drive growth and development and as such, we have combined the
entities to achieve greater innovations and
serve the wider business community.

“The new brand, Dubai Science Park, in partnership with more than 280
business partners, is focused on achieving our vision of becoming the
most innovative and vibrant science community in the Middle East - a
place where employees and their families can work,
live and flourish.”

To coincide with the launch of the new community, DSP
commissioned a White Paper in collaboration with The Economist entitled
‘Innovation in Life Sciences: An emerging markets perspective’. The
report provides insight into the importance of nurturing
innovation in the field of science, examining common barriers to
innovation, the role of government support in nurturing the industry and
a look ahead at which facets of the science industry have the most
growth potential. The research is focused on successful
international strategies for innovation in the life science industry
and concludes with recommendations that emerging markets, such as the
UAE, can undertake to facilitate their own development.

The report will be launched at an event hosted by Dubai Science Park on 26th October at the Armani Ballroom, Dubai.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Empower awarded contracts worth AED 59
million in the 3rd quarter of 2015

Dubai, UAE, 7 October 2015: Emirates
Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world’s largest district
cooling services provider, awarded contracts valued at AED 59million in the 3rd
quarter of the year to boost District Cooling (DC) operations across Dubai.

According to HE Ahmad Bin
Shafar, CEO of Empower, the contracts are part of significant expansion of the
company’s operations, which currently occupy a share of 70% of the DC market in
Dubai. “These contracts are among many we have signed so far since the
beginning of the year. We are moving confidently for further growth in the
UAE.”

“As a unique industry, there are tremendous
opportunities for developing a wide range of sophisticated competencies in
District Cooling; especially in the technical, customer service, and project
management fields. These competencies will further boost the industry, thus
increasing its reliability in meeting the growing needs for cooling services in
Dubai,” said Bin Shafar.

“Operators in related industries to DC chose Empower
based on the global trust and the world-class solutions we provide. We have
been engaged on the global scale in high end advisory in different partsacross
the world to help in establishing a sustainable DC infrastructure,” added Bin
Shafar.

“DC proved to be the ideal alternative for conventional
cooling systems, where there would be no maintenance or interruption in service
on the end user. On the other hand, investors start to recognise the tangible
benefits of DC on the medium and long run,” said Bin Shafar.

“We have long term contracts, some of which are designed
to enhance our production for the coming 25 years or so. We understand the
demand, and ready to meet the future needs that might be required in mega
projects across the Emirate,” concluded Bin Shafar.